1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic typing systems in general and, in particular, to a typing system having readily interchangeable type character carrying elements such as discshaped print wheels or the like.
More specifically, this invention relates to an encoding system suitable for use with an electronic typing system wherein the type-bearing print wheel contains self-descriptive information in coded form.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronically controlled typing systems of a large variety of capabilities and types are, of course, well known in the electronics-graphics art. They range from the early basic teletype devices to the modern high-speed, computer-driven peripherals. In recent years, the automatic typing/printing technology previously developed has been applied to smaller machines as would be encountered in office typewriters and the like. This trend has provided the impetus for more versatile devices capable of producing higher quality printing. In addition to the well-known proportional spacing and automatic line justification features, other items for improving copy quality, such as controlling the print hammer energy for each character and providing for a variety of type fonts, have also been incorporated into the more recent machines. Representative U.S. patents disclosing various of these features, as related to the techniques for accomplishing the internal control functions required to implement them, are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,940 to Stockham, U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,182 to Bernard et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,010 to Higonnet et al.